Texas lawmakers unveil bipartisan 'religious freedom' bills
Texas State Representatives, Salman Bhojani, D-Euless acknowledges the crowd during a press conference to announce the bipartisan Religious Freedom Agenda, at the State Capitol, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Bhojani, teamed up with Rep. Jacey Jetton, R-Richmond to work on passing three bills that would call for more options in state holidays, mandate state education testing not fall on holidays of other faiths and recognize marriages performed by all religious leaders.Democratic State Rep.
The optional holiday and marriage bills , spearheaded by state Reps. Joe Moody and James Talarico respectively, were attempted in the last legislative session and passed out of the Texas House, but they failed to gain traction in the more conservative Senate. “I now know what it’s like to explain repeatedly why my 6-year-old missed school for the High Holy Days, and why it is in fact an excused absence,” Levy said. “We cannot continue to allow our students of multi-faith backgrounds to feel othered anymore in this state.”
But Alejandrina Guzman, Bhojani’s legislative director, said House Bill 1882 removes references to any one faith leader and instead broadens the language of the law to make it clear it applies to all faith leaders.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Buffalo Bills’ Stefon Diggs on Damar Hamlin and Leading the Bills Through a Trying SeasonBuffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs reflects on Damar Hamlin’s health scare: “When things started shaking out, it definitely gave us confidence and God heard the prayers of everybody around the world”
Read more »
Anti-LGBTQ+ proposal bills reach higher rate at Texas legislative session than 2022Most of the bills seek to limit or ban gender-affirming healthcare, limit classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity, and restrict drag shows and performers
Read more »
Anti-LGBTQ+ proposed bills reach higher rate at Texas legislative session than 2021Most of the bills seek to limit or ban gender-affirming healthcare, limit classroom instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity, and restrict drag shows and performers
Read more »
Texas threatens to sue Biden over 'unlawful, top-down' eco rules threatening farmers, energy producersTexas attorney general tells Biden: 'This isn’t going to fly in Texas'
Read more »
University of Texas at Austin students will hold referendum on “Eyes of Texas”The nonbinding referendum is meant to gauge student opinion on the divisive alma mater but would not result in any changes to the song. Student leaders called for it in response to a 2021 university report on the song’s history that found it was “not overtly racist.”
Read more »
University of Texas at Austin students will hold referendum on 'Eyes of Texas'A report concludes the intent of the song was “not overtly racist” but acknowledged that “it is similarly clear that the cultural milieu that produced it was.”
Read more »